


Swordbending

by Mustardcustard



Series: Mustardcustard's Zukka Week Drabbles [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: M/M, Mutual Pining, Swordbending, Swords, Zukka Week 2021
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-24 23:49:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30080229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mustardcustard/pseuds/Mustardcustard
Summary: Zuko just wants to train Aang, but his disruptive crush wants attention.Day 1 of Zukka week- Swords.
Relationships: Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Mustardcustard's Zukka Week Drabbles [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2213151
Comments: 2
Kudos: 53





	Swordbending

**Author's Note:**

> Ok ok ok I know I'm behind on Zukka week but my life has just been so busy rn so better late than never ig. 
> 
> Also there is a canon swordbending fight with Sokka and Zuko in the comics, so you could say that this was my take on it.

“Hey, jerkbenders? How’s your jerkbending going?” 

“For the last time Sokka, leave us alone. Aang needs to focus.” Zuko replied lazily while he and Aang continued the dragon dance for their warm-up. It allowed for the qi to condense in the stomach, perfect for strong bursts of flames when they started their attacking forms. 

“Ok, fine. But I’m still going to watch you jerks.” Zuko peered out of the corner of his eye as Sokka sat down on one of the stone ledges of the Western Air Temple. While his presence most likely wasn’t going to affect Aang, it sure would Zuko. 

“Your presence is disruptive, I think it would be best if you joined the others. Why don’t you work on your swordsmanship?” Zuko tried to use one of Sokka’s many interests as leverage for him to leave, but the actual probability of him doing so was diminutive. 

“That’s it!” Sokka said excitedly as Zuko and Aang bowed to each other, pushing their hands down to force their qi back into their stomachs. “I challenge you to a swordbending duel!” 

“A sword-a-what now?” Zuko asked over his shoulder, seeing Sokka draw his sword out from its sheath. Zuko stretched his arm, groaning slightly when his shoulder cracked. 

“I challenge Prince Zuko to a battle of the swords! A swordbending duel!” Sokka held his sword high in the air, smile wide on his face, and it was hard for Zuko not to smile slightly in return. He rolled his eyes, turning back to Aang, who looked delighted. 

“Come on Sifu Hotman! It’ll be fun!” 

“No. You still have a long way to go with your firebending, and we can’t take a break. There is no time to waste.” Zuko got into position for their next set of moves, waiting for Aang to do the same, who was walking over to Sokka, who looked mildly disappointed. 

“If you do, I’ll stop calling you Sifu Hotman!” He said with a grin, cheering when Zuko sighed defeatedly and rolled his eyes, already air scootering away and laughing as Momo chased him. 

“I really don’t like you,” Zuko mumbled as he grabbed his Dao swords, stuffing them in their sheath’s behind his back.

“Oh hush up you love me.” Sokka gave him a wink, and Zuko felt heat rise to his cheeks before clearing his throat, walking over to a separate training area of the temple that Katara and Toph had used to spar the other non-benders. It was filled with stray rocks and puddles, and when Aang had delivered the news that two of the best swordsmen were going to be dueling, the three of them helped to start clearing the terrain. 

“Here are the rules!” Teo said as he rolled in between the two, who were getting in place and drawing out their swords. “Only swordbending is permitted, any other weapons or forms of bending will result in a forfeit, and the other opponent will win. No verbal abuse or help from any onlookers. Are we clear?” Zuko and Sokka both nodded, “Then may the best swordbender win!” 

“Don’t go easy on me Prince Zuko.” Sokka smiled at him as he shifted in his place opposite Zuko, readying his space sword as Zuko spun his broadswords in his hands. 

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Zuko grinned back before charging, wanting to get this over with so he could go back to training Aang. 

Sokka was incredible with the space sword, but for someone who was shorter than Zuko and was dealing only one sword compared to Zuko’s two, he was no match. Still, Zuko knew that humiliation wasn’t the goal here, so they frequently shifted from offensive to defensive, taking turns striking at each other and blocking with a deafening clash of metal on metal. 

Zuko noticed Sokka didn’t keep his feet moving the entire time like Zuko, rather he put so much force into each one of his swings that it made him able to bounce back and attack again. He noticed that Sokka found it easier to switch from defensive to offensive, rather than the other way around, which was knowledge that would come in handy at a later time. 

Sokka was getting too greedy, using both hands on the hilt and driving Zuko back into a corner. Zuko’s swords were crossed protecting his face from Sokka’s blade pushing down on him, creating an eerie sound of metal screeching. This was the time to take him down. Zuko pushed Sokka backward with his swords, pulling them apart and getting his back off of the wall as he swung wildly, one sword after the other, left and then right. Sokka couldn’t keep up, and his sword was struck and discarded on the floor with an echoing  _ clang.  _

“See, Sokka? I won’t ever go easy on you.” Zuko smiled as he tucked his swords back in their place on his back, putting his arms up in victory as his friends cheered for him. Aang yelled something, and Zuko turned his ear to hear him better before he was knocked to the ground by some heavy weight to his side, knocking the wind out of him. Before he could realize what was happening, his hands were pinned above his head, and a weight on his stomach was preventing him from getting back up. His swords dug into his back, but he was just focused on getting this sudden opponent off of him. 

“Well well well,” Sokka smirked down at him, panting as he caught his breath. 

“Fuck you. I clearly won.” Zuko huffed at him, squirming in Sokka’s hold. 

“I thought I heard you say something, about never letting your guard down, never getting distracted.” Sokka’s smirk turned into a wicked smile.

“Fuck. You.” Zuko growled at him, raising his head. He noticed Sokka’s eyes drift down, and he suddenly became hyper-aware of how close they were, how their breaths mingled, Sokka’s weight on his stomach and hands. He met Sokka’s eyes again, and he was as red as Zuko probably was. 

They immediately untangled from each other, Zuko clearing the lump in his throat as Sokka went to go retrieve his sword. 

“Aang go back to our training area. I’ll be there in a minute.” Zuko sighed, rubbing the cut in his back from the swords as he took in all that had happened in five minutes. 

_ Shit, I’ve got it bad.  _


End file.
